99 Bottles of Meme on the Wall

Taken from Pea Soup.

Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font

1. Started your own blog.

2. Slept under the stars.

3. Played in a band. Although I played piano for 15 years - not usually a band instrument - I was in jazz band in high school, and was in a side band with the bassist, drummer and guitar player from jazz band.

4. Visited Hawaii. Some of my favorite trips ever were to Kauaii with my mom.

5. Watched a meteor shower. Several, most memorably the Perseiad shower while bundled up in a sheepskin coat and lying on the hood of a car in the Sandia mountains.

6. Given more than you can afford to charity.

7. Been to Disneyland/world. Disneyworld as a child. But it wasn't a dream destination, and it's unlikely I'd ever go back.

8. Climbed a mountain.

9. Held a praying mantis.

10. Sang a solo. As the token native English speaker of Maringá, Paraná during my exchange year, I was convinced to sing "No Woman, No Cry" at my friend Ana's guitar recital.

11. Bungee jumped. (I went hanggliding in Rio, but am too scared to do any other jumping/flying related sports)

12. Visited Paris. On a 12-hour layover in 2007.

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea. Many times. Most memorable, though not at sea, was a massive lightning storm while in a river boat going down the Amazon.

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. Jewelry-making, though I took some classes last year after 5 years of self-taught designs.

15. Adopted a child.

16. Had food poisoning. Frequently.

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.

18. Grown your own vegetables.

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.

20. Slept on an overnight train. Most recently on our way to Sapa, Vietnam while on honeymoon.

21. Had a pillow fight.

22. Hitch hiked. In Greece, on Paros island, the summer I visited Lambros. I believe I was 17.

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.

24. Built a snow fort.

25. Held a lamb.

26. Gone skinny dipping.

27. Run a marathon.

28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.

29. Seen a total eclipse.

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.

31. Hit a home run.

32. Been on a cruise. To the Bahamas as a child. Not my cup of tea.

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. On my mother's side, yes.

35. Seen an Amish community. And eaten noodles with gravy in one of their restaurants in Ohio.

36. Taught yourself a new language. Portuguese, age 15.

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.

39. Gone rock climbing.

40. Seen Michelangelo's David in person.

41. Sung Karaoke.

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.

43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.

44. Visited Africa. Check.

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.

46. Been transported in an ambulance.

47. Had your portrait painted. By New Mexico artist Jane Mabry, circa 1990.

48. Gone deep sea fishing.

49. Seen the Sistene chapel in person.

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling. (I've gone snorkeling, but seem to enjoy it less with each pasing year. Diving doesn't appeal to me.)

52. Kissed in the rain.

53. Played in the mud.

54. Gone to a drive-in theatre.

55. Been in a movie.

56. Visited the Great Wall of China.

57. Started a business.

58. Taken a martial arts class. Muay thai and capoeira.

59. Visited Russia.

60. Served at a soup kitchen.

61. Sold Girl Scout cookies. Yes, and I was damn good at it.

62. Gone whale watching.

63. Gotten flowers for no reason.

64. Donated blood. (Usually not eligible thanks to residence in malaria zone).

65. Gone sky diving.

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.

67. Bounced a cheque.

68. Flown in a helicopter.

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. Several of my childhood toys are in the attic in Peci, though I didn't save them, per se.

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.

71. Eaten Caviar.

72. Pieced a quilt.

73. Stood in Times Square.

74. Toured the Everglades.

75. Been fired from a job. I've had non-renewal of a contract. Does that count?

76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.

77. Broken a bone.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. Dashing inbetween buses and traffic in Rio. Scary!

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.

80. Published a book.

81. Visited the Vatican.

82. Bought a brand new car. Technically my mom bought it for me, but I made many of the payments.

83. Walked in Jerusalem.

84. Had your picture in the newspaper.

85. Read the entire Bible.

86. Visited the White House.

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Fish.

88. Had chickenpox.

89. Saved someone’s life. Not a physical feat, but I did an intervention with someone who was suicidal and addicted to pills.

90. Sat on a jury.

91. Met someone famous. I went to elementary school with Nicole 'Coco' Austin, though she definitely wasn't who she is nowadays. The famous person I was most excited to meet was Zeca Baleiro (musician) in the Rio airport baggage claim several years ago.

92. Joined a book club.

93. Lost a loved one.

94. Had a baby. Yes, people. It is italicized. Crazier things have happened.

95. Seen the Alamo in person.

96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.

97. Been involved in a law suit.

98. Owned a cell phone.

99. Been stung by a bee. More times than I care to thing about. Wasps, too.

Meme: Names Deluxe

Here's the stolen name game meme, first stolen by Poppy Fields and now stolen by yours truly:

WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: Harvey Gwynne
(Mother’s & father’s middle names)

NASCAR NAME: Hugh Baldwin
(First name of mother’s dad, father’s dad)

STAR WARS NAME: AmKath
(First 2 letters of last name, first 4 letters of first name)

DETECTIVE NAME: Red Cat
(Favorite color, favorite animal)

SOAP OPERA NAME: Alexandra Maputo
(Middle name, city where you live)

SUPERHERO NAME: Green Wine
(2nd favorite color, favorite alcoholic drink)

FLY NAME: Karo
(First 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)

GANGSTA NAME: Nocciola Peanut
(Favorite ice cream, favorite cookie)

ROCK STAR NAME: Pria Ahmed Sekou Touré
(Current pet’s name, current street name)

PORN NAME: Lobo 47
(1st pet, street you grew up on)

Wanna play? Consider yourself tagged.

Meme: Eight Homes à les McCains

As tagged by Safiya.

Here’s the meme: McCain has 8 homes in the U.S. You have to pick eight places you would like to live. List them. You don’t have to list your reasons, but if you do at least for a few of them, it would be more fun. And remember that the only rule is: the homes must be within the borders of the United States of America or else, within the borders of the country you live in, so as to utterly emulate the McCains. When you’re done, tag 8 people, so that they may join in the self-indulgence, forgetting about the crappy property market and the equivalent of The End of Pompeii on Wall-Street. You could spend your time hammering your doors and windows shut in preparation for the apocalypse instead, but it would be much less fun.

My eight choices are all in the US:

1. Santa Fe, New Mexico. I love my homestate like no other place in the US. My home would have to be a ways outside the city limits, however, because there is only so much touristy-artsy-newage-vortex-authenticity I can handle at one time. Still, the area is breathtaking.

2. Austin, Texas. I really enjoyed living there prior to my move to Moz. I had a sweet little apartment right around the corner from Zilker Park and Barton Springs, I knew all my neighbors and hung out with them regularly, took Nia classes and enjoyed lots of live music with good friends.

3. Bay Area, California. It could be Rockridge, Oakland, San Fran - whatever. With the BART it doesn't matter too much, everything is accessible. Also, I'd be just around the corner from my Mom and Azul, my two beloved girl-cats.

4. New Orleans, Louisiana. I loved it when I visited my high school best friend for Thanksgiving back in 2004. I think I'd love it just as much now, perhaps even more. It has all the elements that seem to attract me to a city: fabulous fusion architecture, unique population, strong regional culture, multi-lingual, tropical, hot and so humid your clothes mold over if left neglected in the closet for more than a week.

5. Idaho or Montana. Or perhaps one of the Dakotas. Random, I know. But I think I'd like the wilderness, the open spaces and the agriculture.

6. San Juan, Puerto Rico. They vote in our election, so that means I can choose a home in the land of the Boricuas for this list.

7. Sea Island, Georgia. I've never visited, but remember my Mom's stories after she went there for work. Seemed like a beautiful place.

8. Kauai, Hawaii. My favorite vacation spot in high school. Hanalei, Waimea Canyon, endless taro fields and a beautiful pink and gray B&B that we were very tempted to buy. If I had a home there, I'd go zodiac rafting and hiking every single weekend.

Now for the tagging. I'm honestly too lazy to link, as my mouse has acted up and I'm unable to highlight text. So, consider yourself one of the selected ones if you are inspired to play along!

Meme: My Mosaic

As inspired by Secondhand Gods, who was in turn inspired by Pea Soup.


1. Alexandra leaving, 2. Luk Chup - Thai Marzipan, 3. Impending Storm, 4. Bosque by Twilight Star Trails, 5. OUT916512, 6. Coffee & Cigarettes, 7. Cuba - La Habana, 8. Malva with Chantilly Cream, 9. one would., 10. The Photographer, 11. Enhance Your Beauty..., 12. Castillo de La Mota

To play:

a.) Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b.) Using only the first page, pick an image.
c.) Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into the fd's Mosaic Maker.

The Questions:

1.) What is your first name?
2.) What is your favorite food?
3.) Where did you go to high school?
4.) What is your favorite color?
5.) Who is your celebrity crush?
6.) Favorite drink?
7.) Dream vacation?
8.) Favorite dessert?
9.) What do you want to be when you grow up?
10.) What do you love most in life?
11.) One word to describe you.
12.) Your Flickr name.

Meme, Interrupted

As tagged by Geisha, Interrupted quite a while ago.

What I was doing:

10 years ago:
Nearing the end of my exchange year with the Yamamoto family in Maringá, Paraná. My mom was visiting me for the first time in Brazil, and we’d just returned from a trip to Rio. My host father picked us up in Londrina, and I had the surreal experience of my “real” family and my exchange family meeting. My life at that point consisted of playing capoeira, hanging out with friends, piano lessons, road trips and preparing for the inevitable return to the US.

5 years ago:
Graduating with an MBA in Marketing, thanking God I was done with business school. Making plans to move to Austin, Texas. Enjoying summer, blissfully unaware of how much my life would change in the following 3 months.

1 year ago:
Visiting my mom in the Bay Area, taking jewelry classes, picking out jewelry and shoes to go with my wedding dress and rehearsal dinner dress.

Yesterday:
Suffering through 30 minutes of cardio at the gym. Eating lunch at Zambi. Making jewelry. Procrastinating on the investment memo I need to finish. Making fish and spinach salad for dinner. Enjoying a last night with Rico before his trip to Nampula this morning.

5 snacks I enjoy:
- cherry tomatoes
- cereal (All Bran or granola)
- peppadew flavor potato chips
- cashews
- fruit (mangoes, crisp apples, tangerines)

5 books I like:
- “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver
- “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay
- “Dark Star Safari” by Paul Theroux
- “One River” by Wade Davis
- “Como Água para Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel

What I’d do with 100 million dollars:
- Start an investment fund
- Start a cultural foundation headquartered at the Casa Rosa
- Give fabulous anonymous gifts to my friends and relatives
- Get a personal trainer and chef
- Travel

5 places I’d love to run away to:
- Cuba
- Brazil
- Cape Town
- Mexico
- Barcelona

5 bad habits and/or pet peeves I have:
- peeling layers of skin off my lips, then chiding Rico for doing the same
- crooked paintings on the wall
- people who smack when they chew
- answering “Yes” or “No” when I haven’t properly heard the question
- routinely hitting snooze for between 15 minutes and an hour

5 things I like doing:
- writing
- reading blogs
- sunbathing
- dancing
- listening to loud music in the car

5 things I would never wear:
- a fur coat
- colored contacts
- too much makeup
- short-shorts in public
- high-waisted pants

5 tv shows I like:
- Law & Order
- Brothers and Sisters
- Pushing Daisies
- The Closer
- What Not to Wear

5 famous people I’d like to meet:
- Obama
- Angelina Jolie
- Steve Jobs
- William Easterly
- Nelson Mandela

5 people I’d like to see fill this out:
- Southern Goddess
- Jenna at Bugigangas
- Safiya
- Brandi
- Rio Gringa

Meme: Things Left Unsaid

Here is a meme lifted from Ash, whose blog I am unfortunately unable to comment on while using my home internet connection (as is the case with all Typepad blogs as well). This is about things left unsaid throughout the years, kept nameless because that's how you do the meme, but also because I wouldn't name-check like this on the internet without having first had the convo in person...

1. I let you believe something that wasn't entirely true. I feel bad about my lack of total honesty, but at the same time I'm glad I told the version I did because you reacted in a way that made me not want to have you in my life anymore. I suppose we both won and both lost on this one...

2. The letter you wrote me all those years ago hurt me to the core, and I still think about your exact words to this day. I pretended not to care, like your words just bounced off me without making an impact, but they affected me more than you could ever know. I wish I'd had the self confidence back then to tell you to fuck off, instead of sticking around despite it all.

3. I am incredibly sorry for my poor decisions and subsequent actions. You were someone I considered to be a true friend, though I know you'd never believe it after all that happened. I wish you'd taken my apology to heart. Every time I think of you I feel somewhat sick as a result of how things ended.

4. I love you more than you could ever know. I believe we have a connection that will continue even after death. I hope so, at least, because I can't imagine my life without you.

5. I regret the fact that we never truly have gotten to know each other. Why is that?

6. I wish you had done things differently. You have influenced my life in a way that I could have never anticipated, and I am struggling with that realization right now.

7. I know you didn't act maliciously. I'm sorry you have taken so much blame.

8. It's hard for me to be friends with you because you are so thin and pretty, and I continuously compare myself to you.

9. I can't be with you now. This isn't the path I want for my life.

10. You are someone incredibly special to me. I tell you this frequently, but I wonder if you really believe me. I hope you do.

11. I love you and never want to hurt you. Please forgive me for my moments of weakness and poor judgment.

12. I find you incredibly annoying and really can't stand more than two hours of your company without feeling exhausted. Still, I know that you mean well, so I find ways to put up with you.

13. It makes me feel so special to get emails from you. I treasure our friendship.

Meme: Lists of 8

One of my very, very favorite bloggers tagged me for this 8-based meme. I am glad to have something marginally mindless to write about tonight, as my brain is somewhat fried after too many hours spiraling wire and selecting matching pairs of trade beads (not an easy feat, given that these things wash up on the beach wily-nily).

Anyhoooo, here goes:

8 passions in my life:

Cats

Putting together a really good outfit, complete with accessories

Identifying things - trees, seashells, birds, snakes, gemstones, languages, etc.

Cooking, especially when it involves not following a recipe

Travel

Dancing

Creating art

Writing

8 things to do before I die:

Have a child/children

Write a book

Visit the places on my ultimate travel list: Lençois Maranhenses in Brazil, Guyana, Dubai, Iceland, New Zealand, Chile

Return to some of the places that are dear to my heart: Cuba, a river in Venezuela whose bed is entirely made of red jasper and has a waterfall that looks like blood, Croatia, Greece

Learn Arabic

Live in the Casa Rosa

Do an adventure race

Start playing the piano again

8 things I often say:

Unbelievable (as an adjective to describe things, not so much as an exclamation)

Amazing

Perfect

Motherfucking hell (usually only said when alone, often in response to something the boys have done)

Caraca!

Alôôôôôô!

Hey girl

Cool

8 books I read recently:

Infidel

Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight

A World of Strangers

Guns, Germs and Steel

The Poisonwood Bible

The Pickup

The Devil Wears Prada

Wedding Planning for Dummies

8 songs that mean something to me:

This Must Be the Place - Talking Heads

Open - Bruce Cockburn

Despiértate - Gonzalo Silva

Neon - John Mayer

Meu Amor, Meu Bem Me Ame - Zeca Baleiro

A Paz Que Não Quero - O Rappa

Maldeyeni - Mabulu

Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix

8 qualities I look for in a friend:

intelligent

fun

non-judgmental

supportive

likes to dance

good sense of humor

reliable

unafraid to connect

8 people I'm passing this along to: (feel free to disregard)

Safiya

Alina

Kristine

Jane Poe

Stacie

Marcia

Toni

Jo Ann

Meme: Reading List

This one comes from my Romanian friend Alina.

My reading list currently consists of:

"Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond. I started reading it back in June, but gave up about halfway through when I became a bit tired by the textbook style of the author's writing. But the material is really interesting, and I would like to better understand his theories about why certain societies advanced and others struggle to this day.

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I've been resisting this book for a long time. About 95% of my blog friends have read it and raved, but for some reason I've not been rushing to read it myself. Recently, my friend Tracy gave me a copy and I've decided to give in. This will be some of my principal plane reading material for my trip back home next month.

"On the Trail of the Koh-I-Noor Diamond" by Kevin Rushby. My friend Jenny gave me this book several months ago and I'm really excited to start reading. Also one for the multiple long-haul flights and layovers I will face next month. I think it will really appeal to the gem-nerd and adventurer sides of my personality.

Also on the list, though not definite yet, are something by Nadine Gordimer and perhaps some Isabel Allende.

It's funny - I love to read, and used to do it all the time for pleasure, but since moving to Mozambique I've somewhat dropped the habit. I think it's because I spend all day reading for my job in one way or another, so when it's time for me to relax and unwind in the evening or on the weekend, I have no desire to pick up a book. I much prefer to relax these days by making jewelry, watching tv, working out or dancing...

Consider yourself tagged if you are so inclined. I'm curious to see what you all are reading these days!

Meme: Secret Fears

Meme was originally the 7 random facts about yourself, but creative Ms. Outlines modified it and passed this along instead.

I have many secret fears (though I suppose they're not so secret if I'm able to talk about them, which I am). I don't think I could name just one. Here are a few...

I am afraid that, deep down, I am a person who cannot be trusted.

I am afraid that I am unable to be honest or faithful.

I am afraid of having a loved one die in my arms.

I am afraid of giving myself cancer or some other fatal disease because I've lived too much of my life in self-hatred and obsession about things that don't matter.

I am afraid of being sterile.

I am afraid of my parents dying.

I am afraid of being assaulted/tortured/raped.

I am afraid of being discovered for the fraud I frequently believe I am.

I am afraid I am destined to make the same mistakes over and over, despite how much I may try to work out my issues through therapy, writing, and good old time.

Uffff. This is a bit of a depressing post. I will follow up with something more cheerful, perhaps a gratitude list, seeing as today is Thanksgiving.

Random Meme

I was going to tell you about the second round of police adventures we had this weekend (thankfully no shots fired), and about our trip to Nelspruit, and about the fact that Rico leaves tomorrow, but that will involve a semi-long blog post. Right now I have to finish a proposal for a client. However, as I love a good procrastinating spell, I couldn't pass up this meme tag from Karen.

The rules:

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts. 2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves. 3. People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules. 4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and that they should read your blog.

Here goes!

1. I read celebrity gossip every single day. My favorite is Perez Hilton. Before moving to Mozambique, I never used to read celebrity dirt on the internet or buy gossip magazines. Now it's an addictive habit, one that I'm not sure how to explain. Perhaps because the celebrity world is so far-removed from my own reality here that it's a surefire way for me to zone out and relax. Plus, who doesn't love a good scandal?

2. I am very picky about sharing drinks and utensils with people, even Rico and my family. If someone takes a slurp out of my coke, or takes a bite out of my sandwich, I find it very hard to keep eating/drinking. I kiss these people without a problem, but the idea of foreign saliva on something I'm consuming is slightly repulsive.

3. I've talked about my closet before. It's color-coordinated, with the clothes organized by season within each category. My shoes are organized by style. My necklaces hang on the closet door, also organized by color. I hate when someone messes with my closet!

4. I am not usually a lucky person when it comes to winning lotteries and raffles. I did win big once, though, when I was 10 years old. We had a raffle at my school and I won a flying lesson. I got to go up in a little plane and act as "co-pilot". With the help of my friend's dad (the main pilot), I flew over our house, the school and other landmarks in Albuquerque. It was very cool, but I guess used up all of my lottery karma.

5. I love colored walls. Every single place I've lived where I've had the ability to paint the walls, I've gone for it. I like really bright colors, not some washed-out safe pastels. There is a giant red wall in our living room in Rio, the kitchen is bright yellow, and the wall in the entryway is an orange/ochre color. Here in Maputo, our living room wall is a terracotta/pink color, and we have plans to paint our bedroom wall the color of coffee with milk.

6. I am obsessed with a certain smell that I find addictive, but that I recognize is actually pretty gross. I have 6 piercings in my ears, and always wear little studs in them. I also used to have a belly ring (it fell out last year, but the hole is still open). I love to take out my earrings and smell them. Strange, I know, but there is this vinegar-y stench that comes off the silver posts that I find irresistible. If I take an earring or a pin and put it through the hole above my navel, then take it out and get a whiff, the smell is the same as from my ears.

7. I love going to the beach, but am really bothered by having sand on my body. I tend to get coated in sand (like a bife à milanesa) because of my hyperhydrosis, in particular on my hands and feet. It drives me crazy.

8. I laugh in my sleep. According to my mom, I have done this since I was a little girl. It only happens on occasion, but sometimes I laugh so hard that I wake myself (and others!) up in the middle of the night. I seldom remember what makes me laugh, but it is always a lot of fun in the moment.

So now, for the tagging bit:

Lacithecat, El Erik, Jenna, Marcia, Safiya, Alina, Alphawoman and Masd.

The Burning Questions Meme

My lovely, very pregnant blog friend Jenica sent me this list of interview questions as part of a personalized meme. If you want to play along and have me send you a list of questions to answer on your blog, let me know in the comments. Enjoy!

1. Do you floss? Increasingly, yes. I confess it's been a difficult habit for me to pick up. I'd say I'm at 70% flossing regularity right now, but definitely shooting for every day.

2. How has living in Mozambique changed you as a person? I realize what a tendency to be impatient I have. I use all of the salvageable parts of fruits and vegetables now, instead of tossing an entire tomato because it's partly rotten. I am seriously committed to being a jewelry artist. I realize the value my trash and cast-off items have to other people. I am a more confident professional. I am no longer shocked by extreme poverty. I have become very cynical and very hopeful at the same time, though not always in equal doses...I could go on for ages.

3. Name 2 moments or experiences in your life that *defined you*. This one is difficult. I guess the decision to move to Mozambique is one. I was on the phone with my friend B., who was already living here. He asked if I was interested in working with him and Rico. I thought for a second, then said yes. I said I'd leave my job and move in 4 months. The decision to leave everything and embark on a new adventure halfway across the world, full of risk and with nothing guaranteed (not even a salary!) was, I suppose, pretty typical of my personality. Certainly the decision to come to Mozambique defined a big part of me - my personal life, my professional ambitions... The other moment would be, for similar reasons, my decision at 15 to do a student exchange in Brazil. I am still feeling the impact of that experience to this day.

4. Go to www.thecolorcode.com, take the test and list what color you are. Do you feel that you can identify with this color? I am Red, motivated by power. I agree, especially after seeing the other 3 color choices which are not me at all. Maybe I am becoming more White as the years go by, but the core description of the Red type is definitely closest to me.

5. Name 3 pet peeves of yours, however neurotic they may seem. I hate when someone leaves the windshield wipers on when it's already stopped raining, even if for 30 seconds. I hate when my running shoes are tied unequally, so that one foot is tighter than the other. I hate when my closet is out of it's perfect color-coordinated order. Yes, I believe all of these qualify as neurotic.

6. And finally, name your favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Breakfast is waffles with fruit, butter and real maple syrup. Lunch is green chile chicken enchiladas with rice, beans and sopapillas. Dinner is classic American Thanksgiving - roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries and green beans. Dessert is tough. I love marzipan, peanut butter cookies, cheesecake, brownies and lemon tarts. I am unable to choose just one.

Thanks, Jenica! This was fun, and a good distraction from all the work I need to do today. :)

A and K's Alternate Career Meme

One day last month, while riding BART back to the suburbs with my mom, we invented a game to pass the time. It dawned on me that it is the perfect meme - fun, short and personal.

Here is how to play:

If you had the opportunity to do a 1-year internship in a company or field completely unrelated to your current career or specialty, what would be your top 5 choices?

Here are mine:

1. Geologist
2. Host of a radio show on world music
3. Professional dancer
4. Work in logistics, like with DHL
5. Manager of a commercial agriculture project

We played this game last night over dinner. Rico and our friend/houseguest S. had interesting lists that overlapped somewhat with mine and my mom's original choices. Rico, my mom and I all share the desire to work with some type of highly complex logistics operation. S. and my mom both wanted to work at a fashion house.

What are your top 5 alternate career internship choices?

Thinking Blogger

I'm playing catch-up. A while back, LacitheCat kindly tagged me as one of her 5 in the Thinking Blogger meme. Now it is my turn to single out 5 bloggers that make me think.

Here they are:

Safiya at Outlines. A mid-20's Muslim convert who recently got married. I love seeing the world through her perspective, and always learn something from her posts.

Mike Hu at Thinking Differently. A very interesting man who has a background in exercise and conditioning, but who makes some pretty profound observations about education.

Cait at Surviving South Africa. Peace Corps volunteer in rural South Africa. She talks about teaching, village life and culture shock.

Bart at Daze of Our Lives. One of my first blog friends. A sensitive, introspective thinker in the Netherlands with fabulous images in each post.

Kristine at Notes from the Laundromat. A talented wire artist (among other things) who is finishing her degree. She will soon be famous - I am convinced.

Rules:

For each one of you that I've tagged: to continue this meme, choose 5 bloggers that make you think! Then link here to track the exact origin of this meme.

Meme...the Path to Success

I was tagged by Alina for a meme with the following instructions:

"Compose a new blog post listing the top 5 to 10 things that you do almost every day that help you to be successful. They can be anything at all, but they have to be things that you do at least 4 or 5 times every week. Anything less than that may be a hobby that helps you out, but we are after the real day in and day out habits that help you to be successful."

Hmmm...

1. Drink tea. It's the first thing I do in the morning. My favorites are Tazo Chai with milk, good old black tea with milk, Almond Sunrise and peppermint. Having a cup of tea helps me transition out of sleep and take a few minutes to calmly check in with myself and plan what I need to do during the day.

2. Write. Whether it's on the blog, for a business plan or just an e-mail to friends, I write every single day. Writing helps me be successful because it's the foundation of my current job. For each business plan I write that gets funded, for each feasibility study I develop that is well-received, I am improving my reputation in the business community here and increasing my chances of landing that next contract. From a personal perspective, writing helps me work out my issues in a way that talking sometimes can't. It also helps me keep in touch with my family and friends, virtual or not, that live far away and whose support I rely on to keep moving forward.

3. Make art. I love making jewelry, drawing, knitting, crocheting, making greeting cards and dreaming of how I can use fabric once I learn to use a sewing machine. Being creative keeps me happy and feeling balanced. Also, with each new piece of art I make, I get better at my craft. Since I want to eventually sell my jewelry seriously, with a web site and perhaps a little shop, improving my technical and design skills is an important factor in being successful.

4. Take a shower. This may sound like an insignificant item on the list, but let me assure you it's not. Without a shower in the morning my day goes to pot. I feel lazy, grimy, useless and depressed. It is extraordinarily difficult for me to have a productive, kind-hearted day if I don't make it a point to shower.

5. Speak multiple languages. Being a polyglot is essential for the kind of work I am interested in and the lifestyle I want to lead. Now that I live in Mozambique and am together with Rico, 95% of my life is carried out in Portuguese. I use English to write, have meetings with clients that don't speak other languages, and talk to friends and family. I speak Spanish to my cousins and a couple of friends. Both my Spanish and Italian are in dire need of some practice. I have lost a lot of the fluency I know is buried in my brain, and I'd like to recuperate my ability to converse with ease.

6. Remember my mantras. "Don't take it personally" and "Don't make assumptions". These keep me in check when I get stressed with other people. Less stress = better health + better relationships. If that's not a recipe for success, I don't know what is.

What are your daily steps to success? If you want to answer, consider yourself tagged.

Embraceable You

Mime idea swiped from Jemima, Queen of Mimes. Answers courtesy of my iTunes on shuffle.

Q: What does next year have in store for you?

"Toda Cor" - Titãs. Eu preciso de você agora, por favor meu bem não vai embora. Translated: I need you now, please my love don't leave.

Q: What does your love life look like next year?

"Limón y Sal" - Julieta Venegas. One of my favorite songs currently. Such a beautiful, sweet love song. Sólo tenerte cerca, siento que vuelvo a empezar, Yo te quiero con limón y sal, Yo te quiero tal y como estás, No hace falta cambiarte nada, Yo te quiero si vienes o si vas, Si subas o bajas o no estás, Seguro de lo que sientes. Translated: Just having you near me, I feel I can start again. I love you with lemon and salt, I love you exactly as you are, No need to change anything about you, I love you if you are coming or going, If you come up or go down or aren't here, Certain of what you feel.

Q: What do you say when life gets hard?

"I'm Sorry" - Bluegrass de la Vuelta. Especially if I'm the one making life hard.

Q: Song that reminds you of good times?

"Trickle" - Olive. First heard this artist in my Nia white belt training last February in Cape Town. That was one of the best weeks of my life.

Q: What do you think when you get up in the morning?

"Tanto Amar" - Chico Buarque. Another sweet love song. Nice to know this is the underlying sentiment when I open my eyes and see another person in my bed. If I had to pick the song I think it would be more along the lines of "I Hate my Fucking Alarm Clock" by 10 More Minutes.

Q: What song will you dance to at your wedding?

"La Paz de Tus Ojos" - La Oreja de Van Gogh. Whatever. The REAL answer to this question is "Touch in the Night" by Freshlyground.

Q: Song that reminds you of your first kiss?

"If Dreams Come True" - Ella Fitzgerald. Perfect answer if my first kiss hadn't been a traumatic, slobbery affair while watching "Jurassic Park" in an overly air-conditioned movie theater.

Q: Your favorite saying?

"Caravan" - John Santos and the Machete Ensemble. Hmmm. Latin jazz song from collection called Cuba Without Borders. Something to do with being a 21st Century Nomad, perhaps?

Q: Favorite place?

"Can't Cry Anymore" - Sheryl Crow. The calm when you've sobbed it all out and actually feel a bit better is always a favorite of mine.

Q: Most missed memory?

"Amore Che Vieni, Amore Che Vai" - Fabrizio de André. My grandma gave me this cd for my birthday and, I must say, it is amazing. Saudades of loves that come and go? Sure.

Q: What song describes your best friend?

"Bittersweet Symphony" - The Verve. There is something bittersweet about not having one lifelong best friend, rather a handful of amazing people that I share best-friend-type connections with yet only see about once every 7 years.

Q: What song describes your ex?

"Viva Pernambuco" - Antúlio Madureira. Excellent frevo music from a local Recife artist. Fitting only if this represents the hate I'm sure my ex feels for Brasil. Viva!

Q: Where would you go on a first date?

"Atimo em Pó" - Gilberto Gil. I admit I've never really listened closely to this song. But I'd go to a Gilberto Gil concert for a first date in a heartbeat.

Q: Drug of choice?

"Ideologia" - Cazuza. Excuse me while I get up on my soapbox. I'm in need of a high. Ideologia, eu preciso de uma pra viver...

Q: What song describes yourself?

"O Pulso" - Titãs with Arnaldo Antunes. This song lists every disease imaginable in the verses - typhoid fever, chicken pox, toxoplasmosis, malaria, hepatitis, mumps, depression, schizofrenia - then goes on to a simple chorus: o pulso ainda pulsa. The pulse still pulses. Despite it all, some do survive.

Q: What is the thing you like doing most?

"Black is Beautiful" - Elis Regina. Uh oh. She died of a cocaine overdose. Definitely not what I like best. Analyzing in another way, I suppose I love to see all the unique ways in which I'm gorgeous. Seriously. I am vain. I love clothes and jewelry and makeup. I often gaze into my own eyes in a mirror and think that I am beautiful. In my case it's Light Olive of Italian Descent Is Beautiful. Despite all the self-image problems. Go figure.

Q: What is the song that best describes the President?

"Don't Think of Me" - Dido. Won't that be nice one day when he's finally out of office and his dreadful decisions have ceased to make international headlines.

Q: Where will you be in 10 years?

"Buena" - Morphine. That's right. I'll be super buena, the very definition of hottness approaching 40. See? The vanity's still there.

Q: Your love life right now?

"Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" - U2. A better definition of how I feel right now could not be found, I think. I am unbelievably happy and I know how lucky I am. I want everything to work out forever and the idea that life can go wrong makes me want to grab it all and hold on tight, no matter how impossible a feat this is.

Q: What is your state of mind at the moment?

"Real Wild Times" - Stoic Frame. Local band from New Mexico - yay state pride! I think this is spot on. I mean, I do live in Mozambique and am contemplating a move to Rio de Janeiro. Definitely some real wild times for the girl from Albuquerque.

Q: How will you die?

"Favourite Item" - Elvis Costello. Death by silver necklace??

Q: The song you'll put as a subject?

"Embraceable You" - Billie Holiday with Eddie Heywood.

Meme to the Rescue

It's all I can manage tonight, between 2 projects I must work on and my NaNoWriMo manuscript-in-the-making that desperately needs attending to (word count much lower that it should be, statistically speaking)...

Meme swiped from the lovely Paris Parfait.

a) Four jobs I have had in my life:
Director of an HIV/AIDS Prevention Program
Waitress (after I'd finished my MBA, interestingly enough)
Marketing Associate
ESL Teacher (surprise, surprise for an expat to have been an English teacher at some point)

b) Four movies I would watch over and over again:
The Motorcycle Diaries
The English Patient
Say Anything
The Constant Gardener

c) Four places I have lived:
Austin, Texas
Rio de Janeiro
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Chimoio, Mozambique

d) Four TV shows I like to watch:
Venus and Apollo
24
Mythbusters
Antiques Roadshow

e) Four places I have visited:
Croatia
Zimbabwe
Cuba
Tahiti

f) Four websites I visit daily: (sorry, not plugging blogs tonight...)
Perez Hilton (I've become addicted to gossip since moving to Africa.)
Go Fug Yourself
All Africa Mozambique
O Globo (news from Brasil)

g) Four places I would like to be right now:
The house of either of my parents (New Mexico or California)
The Casa Rosa, where Rico currently is staying (Rio de Janeiro)
Seba Camp on safari in Botswana
On the beach collecting seashells

h) Four of my favorite foods:
Green chile chicken enchiladas
Marzipan
Gnocchi
Figs

i) Four bloggers I'd like to respond:
Self select, my friends. I'd love to hear from all of you.

About La Vida of La Loca

This is part one of an as-yet-to-be-determined number of question and answer sessions about me, my life and the stories that come up on this blog. I hope this fills in some of the blanks.

Why is your blog called "Austin to Africa, Brasil to the Bay"?

Because these are 4 significant places in my life, especially considering the reason I started writing here in the first place. When I started this blog in April 2005 I was living in Austin, Texas. I'd just accepted an offer to move to Mozambique to work with a couple of my old friends from business school at a consulting firm they'd started the year before. Before actually moving to Africa, I took a month to hang out in Brasil, a place that is near and dear to my heart. The final part of the title refers to the San Francisco Bay Area where my mom currently lives, and where I think there's a good chance I may move at some point as well.

So what was the reason you started this blog?

To keep in touch with friends and family during my time here in Africa. Basically a blog was the easiest way to let people know how I was doing without having to write mass e-mails. I never expected a blog to lead me to such an interesting community of artists and writers, nor did I anticipate the desire it would light in me to write about and share my past experiences.

Where are you from originally?

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

What is your connection to Brasil?

When I was 15 I decided to go on a year-long student exchange. I can't quite explain my motivations, but part of me just knew that greater things were waiting outside the comfort of my own home. I looked at the catalog of all the destinations where you could choose to study and decided on my top 3: Brasil, Hong Kong and Venezuela. There was something about Brasil that fascinated me and I was thrilled when I got my top choice and was placed with a Japanese-Brasilian host family in Maringá, a city of about 400,000 in the southern state of Paraná.

I had such an amazing year abroad that when I finally had to return home to the US, I dedicated most of my time and energy to finding a way to get back to Brasil. I would spend every spare dollar on plane tickets and managed to go back at least 9 times over the following 2 years. It was almost like I'd never left Brasil!

In my second year at the University of New Mexico I decided to study abroad again, this time at a business school in Rio de Janeiro that had an exchange agreement in place with my college. At that point multiple Brasilian students had come to UNM on exchange, but no American students had gone down to the school in Rio. I was the first one!

In January 2000 I moved to Rio and kicked off the best year and half exchange I could have ever hoped for. I studied Marketing at IBMEC, one of the country's best business schools, and in the process met a group of guys that would have a significant impact on my life several years down the road.

Don't you have a house in Brasil? How do you manage it since you're obviously not living in Rio?

Right before I finished my second exchange in Brasil, I discovered this fabulous pink villa from 1910 for sale in the heart of my favorite neighborhood, Santa Teresa. I went to the open house and fell in love, but at that point it was basically an impractical dream to have a house like that in Brasil.

Then, in a sad but serendipitous turn of fate, my grandfather passed away in New Mexico the month before I was supposed to leave. My mom and I discussed the details of the inheritance and I proposed to her the possibility of using it to buy the pink house in Rio. She asked me to put together a presentation detailing the positive and negative points of my proposal as if it were a real business deal. I did, and managed to convince her that it was a sound investment, if nothing else from a financial perspective because the Brasilian Real had just crashed to 1/3 of its previous value that very same month. After some significant jumping through hoops, the pink house, or casa rosa as it's now known, was ours!

That was over 6 years ago. The original plan was for me to go live in the house as soon as I'd finished my MBA. Well, that didn't happen but we are able to manage because we have a very responsible live-in housekeeper that looks after everything in our absence. In fact, in an illustration of how small the world is, the person who looks after the house used to be B.'s nanny.

Who is B.?

B. was my best friend and classmate when I was living in Rio. We lost touch about a year after I moved back to the US, then randomly ran across each other one day on Orkut (Google's social networking site) while I was living in Austin. About a week later B. called me and filled me in on his life.

In 2003 he went to Mozambique as a volunteer for an organization that works with smallholder farmers in the Chimoio area. While on assignment, B. realized there was a huge opportunity for consultants in the country (lots of foreign investment and donor projects going on, but no qualified people to put together proposals and do fundraising) so he decided to stay. Along with a couple of partners, B. started a consulting company and convinced both me and Ricardo to come work with him in Mozambique.

How did you meet Ricardo?

We were classmates at the business school in Rio. We went on a couple of dates and there was definitely some chemistry, but we didn't have a relationship back then and ended up losing touch when I left Brasil. Ricardo moved to Mozambique a year before I did, and I only got back in touch with him via e-mail while trying to arrange the details of my trip to Africa. He picked me up at the airport when I arrived here for the first time, and our romantic relationshipas well as our professional one began from there.

That's the basic way we met. I want to save the details for another post because it's a great story.

So you and Ricardo didn't move to Mozambique as a couple?

No, thank God. I think I would have really resented him if we'd moved to Mozambique together, especially if I'd "followed" him here. Our relationship is a uniquely African happening.

Where is Ricardo from?

Rio de Janeiro.

Why do you call him Rico?

That's the nickname his family and close friends call him. Thankfully it's not pronounced like "Rrrrrrico, Suuuuave!" You actually say it like "Hee-Koo" because in Brasilian portuguese you say the 'R' at the beginning of a word as if it were an 'H'.

I had a hard time making the transition. Now I only call him Ricardo when we're in a business situation or if I'm frustrated with him about something.

What language do you and Ricardo speak at home?

Portuguese. He speaks fluent English, but since we met in a Portuguese-speaking context, it's actually really weird to speak anything else to each other.

What kind of work do you do?

Fundraising for local businesses and investment projects in Mozambique. A typical job goes like this:

A client hires us to help him/her get money to start a business, expand an existing business or get grant funds to support a project. I sit down with the client and get as much information as possible about the company or project idea. I then write a business plan that tells the client's story in a compelling enough way that a bank or donor will hopefully be convinced to invest.

What are B. and Ricardo's role in the business?

Ricardo is the front man of the company and deals with all the clients. He is responsible for negotiating our contracts and resolving any disputes that may arise. B. is an Excel whiz and does the financial modeling for all of the projects we work on.

How long have you lived in Mozambique?

Almost 1.5 years.

How long will you stay there?

We don't know for sure at this point. It's very probable that we'll be here for another 2 years. Rico and I want to save up enough money before we leave Africa so that we'll be able to cover our living expenses for at least 6 months wherever we decide to move next. This may take a while...

So what is next for you?

Also have no idea at this point. We may go back to the US so that Rico can get an MBA. We may move to Italy for a year to be with my grandmother. We may go back to Brasil. Or we might end up in some random place like Dubai or Moscow for all I know.

------------------------------

What else do you want to know? Ask away and I shall answer.

54 Things About La Loca

This was swiped from the Queen of Memes, JVS. Her answers are great, as are her poems. She's trying to convert me into a lover of poetry and is actually making some headway.

ARE YOU:

1. A cuddler? I love a good cuddle, be it with a person or a kitten.
2. A morning person? Originally, no. But as I’ve accepted that I’m slowly turning into my mother, it seems a preferred wake-up time of 3:30am is looming in my not-so-distant future. As long as I have a cup of tea it will all be okay.
3. A perfectionist? Less and less with each passing day.
4. An only child? Yes.
5. Catholic? No, thanks. I've already got enough guilt as is.
6. In your pyjamas? No. I don’t even own proper pajamas.
7. Currently suffering from a broken heart? Yes, the one that comes with being far away from the people that you love.
8. Okay styling other people's hair? Definitely! I was Rico’s #1 barber of choice when we lived in Chimoio. We’d go out to the back yard with the hair clippers and some beers and I’d have at it. I was actually quite good, although he does have forgiving hair.
9. Left handed? No. But both Rico and my dad are.
10. Addicted to MySpace? Absolutely not. I really kind of despise it.
11. Shy around the opposite gender? Not at all. Never have been. It’s girls that I find intimidating usually.
12. Loud? Notoriously so. But it’s usually because I’m excited or making an excellent point. I guess being American contributes, too.


DO YOU:

12. Bite your nails? Not anymore, unless one of them is uneven and I’m without clippers. Then I’ll have a go at it.
13. Get paranoid at times? Only if I’ve smoked loads of pot.
14. Currently regret something that you have said/done? I regret that I didn’t get the chance to see more of my friends while back in the US.
15. Curse frequently when you get mad? Especially in Portuguese. I have a mouth like a sailor and I really have to watch it here because people never curse. Ever. It’s really bizarre after living in Brasil where people have some of the most colorful insults I’ve ever come across.
16. Enjoy country music? Some. I like Allison Krauss, Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson and 2-stepping to country music while in Austin.
17. Enjoy jazz music? I was in jazz band in high school and my dad is a jazz-o-phile. How can I not like jazz?
18. Enjoy smoothies? Yes, but haven’t had one in ages because I don’t own a blender and there are no smoothie shops in Maputo.
19. Enjoy talking on the phone? If it’s on Skype and therefore for free, yes. Otherwise my bank account doesn’t permit it these days.
20. Have a lot to learn? Tons.
21. Have a pet? Kittens Pria and Parceiro (aka “The Boys”) here in Maputo, full-grown cat Azul currently with my mom.
22. Have a tendency to fall for the "wrong" person? I certainly hope I’ve broken that trend!
23. Have all your grandparents died? No. I’ve still got my Grammy in Italy.
24. Have at least one sibling? Not by birth. I have several step-siblings, though. Dylan and Ann I count as the real thing.
25. Have been told that you are smart? Of course. I've been told that I'm humble, too.
26. Have had a broken bone? No.
27. Have caller id on your phone? Yes, and it permits me to avoid my least-favorite client when he calls.

HAVE YOU:

28. Changed a diaper? No. Can you believe it? I’m sure I’ll put in my dues, though, when I have kids of my own.
29. Changed a lot over the past year? Diapers or in general? If it’s change in general, then yes. Nothing like living in rural Africa to bring about quiet revolution in one’s life.
30. Had friends who have never seen your natural hair colour? Yes.
31. Had surgery? Technically 3 times. Once to remove my 4 wisdom teeth, then on 2 separate occasions to dig out suspicious moles on my back. I’ve got some impressive scars, although the surgery was quite minor as far as that kind of thing goes.
32. Killed anyone? No!
33. Had a haircut in the last week? Unfortunately, no. Although I will get one next week.

LAST PERSON WHO:

34. Slept in the bed beside you? Rico.
35. Saw you cry? My dad at the airport.
36. Went to the movies with you? Rico and B. at the old funky cinema here in Maputo. It’s been ages since I’ve been to the movies.
37. Went to the mall with? Poor Rico, being dragged on a super-efficient shopping spree after Air France lost my luggage on the way to the US.
38. You went to dinner with? Last people I ate dinner in a restaurant with were my friend Marlene and her husband (plus several of their friends) back in Albuquerque.
39. You talked to on the phone? My mom. She called me from the Munich airport on her way back to the US after a visit to my Grammy.
40. Said "I love you" to you and meant it? My mom on the phone this morning.
41. Broke your heart? An ex-boyfriend with whom I no longer maintain contact. Happily it was a while ago and my heart has since been un-broken multiple times.
42. Made you laugh? My friend Liesbeth in an e-mail talking about how if she were rich she’d always be redecorating her “cribb”.

WOULD YOU RATHER:

43. Pierce your nose or tongue? Used to have my nose pierced and loved it. Had to eventually take it out for a shitty job waiting tables.
44. Be serious or be funny? Funny.
45. Drink whole or skim milk? Whole. Although I really am grossed out by milk in general and you couldn’t pay me enough to drink a glass of milk all by itself. Now that I’ve found soy milk in Maputo I’m making the transition. I do like cream, though. And cheese. And ice cream.
46. Die in a fire or drown? Jesus, neither one.
47. Spend time with your parents or enemies? Parents. I love them!

ABOUT YOU:

48. What time is it? 5:30pm GMT+2
49. Nicknames? I’ve got a ton. Ali is the most common. Also used are Alf, Alfie, GC (girl cat), AC (africa cat), BD (baby dog), Burr Girl, Al, Gringa (hate that one), Monkey Bars, and Patroa.
50. Where were you born? Albuquerque, New Mexico
51. What is your birthdate? October 13th. It's on a Friday this year.
52. What do you want? To be able to consistently send and receive mail without paying for DHL. Seeing as I’m highly unlikely to get this wish granted, I’ll settle for a cold glass of beer and some art supplies.
53. Where do you want to live? Isn’t that the million dollar question…
54. How many kids do you want? Two, tops.

The A-Z's of Ali la Loca

Here are my responses to the A-Z meme, passed on to me by Telfair.

accent: In Portuguese I have a carioca accent that I picked up when I lived in Rio in college. Thankfully I don't have even the slightest trace of an American accent when I speak Portuguese, although sometimes people think I'm from southern Brasil.

In English I have an American accent, devoid of any regional twang since I grew up in relatively accent-less central New Mexico. I now speak "CNN English," a very proper, clear, internationally friendly form of language reminiscent of the way the correspondents on CNN present their news. My English is really ridiculous these days. I find myself overcompensating to ensure that I am understood by colleagues and clients that are not totally fluent in English, and as I result I end up speaking this strange language-school-instructor-gone-wrong version of my native toungue. I find myself back-translating from Portuguese, incorporating phrases from British or South African English, and even involuntarily making up words!

booze: I love Mexican beer with lime (especially Pacifico), cold Chardonnay with seafood, spicy red Zinfandel for sipping at home and feeling intellectual, margaritas in New Mexico, gin and tonic in African bars, tequila shots chased with orange slices coated in cinnamon for those wild nights I don't seem to have anymore, cooking with Kahlua, and Amarula on the rocks when I feel like a treat.

chore i hate: easy - washing dishes by hand.

dogs/cats: I love cats. Ricardo and I just adopted 2 abandoned kittens here in Maputo, Pria and Parceiro. In the US I shared my home with Azul, a beautiful lilac tortie Burmese that I got at the pound and who is now living it up in California with my mom, her husband, and 2 Australian Shepherds.

essential electronics: laptop, iPod and portable speakers that double as our stereo in the flat, iTrip for road trips, Canon Powershot SD200 digital camera, cell phone.

favorite perfume: I am picky about perfume and have a phobia of most floral and oriental scents. I am sensitive to strong smells, but I think this particular aversion can be traced back to my mom and her glorious romps through the fragrance departments at Duty Free shops, department stores, and just about any place that had sample bottles out on display. My mom would literally cover every available inch of skin from her elbows to her fingertips with strong scents like Obsession by Calvin Klein, or whatever the new perfume by Christian Dior was that year.

In reaction, perhaps, I tend to like perfumes that are fresh, clean, citrus-y, green, fruity, or marine-inspired. Many times I like men's perfume more than I like women's because it is not at all floral or powdery. Past scents I've used include Ralph by Ralph Lauren, pure tangerine oil applied at the wrists and neck, and Hugo Boss Woman. I recently branched out and actually found a floral scent I like - Very Irresistible by Givenchy, but only because it smells like pure roses.

My favorite scent ever is not actually a perfume but a creme - A Perfect World by Origins, an intoxicating blend of white tea and apricots.

gold/silver: Silver for everyday jewelry, gold for special occasions. I think my wedding band will have to be dual-tone because I love them both.

hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico. My heart-town is Rio de Janeiro. My current home is Maputo, Mozambique.

insomnia: Sometimes, especially if I drink caffeine too late in the afternoon/evening. I also have trouble sleeping when I get hit with a wave of creativity. If I'm inspired to write or draw or create, I can easily forget about sleep and stay up into the wee hours of the morning.

job title: On my business card it reads Funding Manager. In reality what I do is consult with companies and project promoters to help develop successful business strategies. And then I write - business plans, memoranda of investment, feasibility studies, marketing plans, strategic plans, grant proposals - with the ultimate objective of raising money for these companies or projects. The main idea behind our work is that the local private sector holds the key to sustainable economic development and associated poverty alleviation in emerging markets.

kids: not yet.

living arrangements: With boyfriend/work partner and 2 kittens in a flat in the heart of Maputo. We will likely be here for another 5 years or so, after which our main residence will likely be the Casa Rosa in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro.

most admired trait: I asked Ricardo about this one last night and he gave me three traits, all related, and incidentally ones that I agree with:

- transparente. I am transparent. I show my emotions on my face both physically and through my expressions. When I get stressed out or upset, my under-eye circles darken noticeably and I get really pale. I also make no attempt to hide what I feel. If I'm upset, it's obvious. If I'm happy, every one knows. And I have no problem whatsoever talking about what I feel if someone should ask, "What's wrong?"

- sincera. I am sincere and honest. I tell it like I feel it.

- direta. I am direct and precise with my thoughts, actions and words. If I am upset with someone, I usually approach them to say what is on my mind. If I am stressed, I talk or write about what is bothering me. If I am in love, I make my declarations with no hesitation.

number of sexual partners: right...

overnight hospital stays: Technically one, when I got a mad intestinal infection in Brazil, but they didn't actually book me in or give me a bed. I just sat in a chair in the waiting room all night with an iv in my arm, making frequent trips to the toilet accompanied by a nurse to hold up the bag of iv drip solution while I did my business.

phobia: snakes, strong waves and ocean currents, surgery, having somebody I love die in my arms after an accident without being able to do anything to help, being in a plane crash, losing my mind.

quote: "Music opens paths that only the wise know how to walk, and which, along with dance, builds bridges which bring you close to a world which cannot even be dreamt." - Subcomandate Marcos

religion: none.

siblings: I am an only child, but have had varying numbers of step-siblings throughout my life. The current situation is 1 step-sister and 1 step-brother on my dad's side, and 2 step-brothers on my mom's side, although I have never lived with any of them.

time i usually wake up: Depends. I go through phases. Sometimes I love to wake up early, around 6:30. Other times I like nothing more than to sleep until 10am. Regardless of how tired I am, I feel immensely gulity if I sleep past noon.

unusual talent: I also asked Ricardo about this one. His first answer was writing. I said that all of my blogging friends are unusually talented writers, so that didn't count. Then he said something racy, and I said that answer wouldn't work either because both of our mothers read this blog. His final answer was cooking. I'll take it. I am a damn good cook and I love to invent in the kitchen.

vegetable i refuse to eat: none. I've learned tricks for cooking okra (put in some lime, lemon or vinegar when you cook it to get rid of the slime) and jiló (a bitter Brazilian vegetable made delicious when battered and fried), so there are no vegetables at this point that I won't eat.

worst habit: I also asked Ricardo about this one, and he said my worst habit is one that I am very conscious of already. In his words, "é quando você resolve ser filha da puta com alguma coisa, e o faz de propósito." Basically, when I decide to be bitchy or difficult with something or someone on purpose. I definitely catch myself doing this, I definitely think it's one of my worst habits, and I definitely am trying to change...not because I don't want to be labeled a bitch, but because constantly lashing out with negative energy takes a toll on me that is simply not worth it.

x-rays: Regularly at the dentist's, and once on my foot when I hurt my big toe playing capoeira.

yummy foods i make: lasagne, green chile stew, passion fruit mousse, yogurt spice pound cake, omelettes, lentil curry with bacon... everything I make is yummy!

zodiac sign: Libra.

I would like to tag Safiya and Ladybird for this meme, if they feel so inclined.

Book Tag!

Here is my take on the book tag passed on to me by Kerstin. Completing this tag made me realize that I have not read for pleasure very much since moving to Mozambique last year. Part of the problem is a sheer lack of books to read (unfortunately Amazon.com doesn't deliver to Maputo!). The other part is to be blamed on a combination of too much work, laziness, not enough time alone, choosing other activities (like blogging) in the time I could have spent reading... I love to read almost as much as I love to write, and I am going to make a concerted effort from this point on to incorporate good books into my life again. My uncle and his family are coming to Africa for a visit next month and I have asked him to bring 2 books for me. Hopefully they will be inspiring, and a good start to my reading resolution.

So here are my answers to the book tag:

3 most influential books in my life:

• "The Power of One" by Bryce Courtenay. Once when I was 14 years old, my mom and I were stuck with a horrid 6-hour layover in the Denver airport. We went into a bookstore and I blindly picked something off the shelf. I had never heard of this book, nor the author, and the cover wasn't especially attractive. I don't know why I picked it out other than I was supposed to have this book in my life. At the time I related to Peekay's story of cultivating the "power of one," that fierce independent spirit in each of us that allows us to triumph even in the most oppressive and lonely situations. I never imagined that I would one day move to Africa, and I certainly never thought I'd ever take a bus right through the heart of Barberton and the kloofs where the story takes place (as I did on my way to the Nia training in February). This book is a blessing, and 10 years later I still return to it at least once a year for words of inspiration and strength.

• "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. A simple, beautiful story that reminds me to have faith in the workings of the universe.

• "Morgan and Yew" by Stephen Cosgrove and Robin James (Serendipity books). This book was given to me as a gift when I was about 6 or 7 - it made me cry and cry back then, and it still makes me cry now. Yew, a dumpy little sheep, is best friends with a beautiful unicorn named Morgan. Yew wishes on the Morning Star that he, too, can have a unicorn's horn so that he can feel special instead of ordinary. When the Morning Star grants Yew's wish, Yew wears the horn for one day, but at the cost of his friend Morgan: the unicorn is gone! After crying of guilt and loneliness all night long, Yew pleads with the Morning Star to restore things to normal. After Morgan comes back to him and the horn is returned to the unicorn, the two friends play together forever and Yew never again envies his best friend. This book delivers quite the lesson in just 32 pages.

3 books I've read more than once:

• "The Power of One" (see above).

• All the books in the Weetzie Bat series by Francesca Lia Block. I discovered these quirky books in high school and would spend hours with my friend Meghan reading them in the library when we were really supposed to be studying. I loved all the characters (especially Weetzie) and the way the author described the little-known, wonderful bits of L.A. that actually made me want to live there for a while. These books are really a delight, especially when you need a reminder that being "plain and normal" isn't all it's cracked up to be!

• "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4" by Sue Townsend. This was my staple bathroom reading while in middle school. The book made me laugh so much, and I loved Adrian's way of narrating embarrassing events in his adolescent life. It was such good toilet reading, in fact, that many times I'd sit for over 40 minutes on the pot just so I could read thos last few pages (I guess it never occurred to me that I could go sit somewhere else with the book...).

3 great books that I personally hated:

• "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace. Way too long, way too pretentious, way too fucked up a story line and way too many footnotes for me to even begin to appreciate the genius many other people see in this book.

• I agree with Kerstin in that The Bible never really did it for me... We had to read excerpts of Genesis and Exodus when I was a freshman in high school. Suffice to say I was not thrilled.

• "The Prince" by Machiavelli. Part of an honors literature and philosophy course I took freshman year in college. Not a fan.

3 pure pleasures:

• "O Doce Veneno do Escorpião" by Raquel Pacheco a.k.a. Bruna Surfistinha. The title means The Scorpion's Sweet Venom and is the autobiography of a call girl. This book has turned brasilian society upside-down because it breaks all sorts of taboos about prostitution and sexual/gender roles that until now nobody has really commented on from a first-person perspective. The most interesting part is that Bruna Surfistinha comes from an upper-middle class family and made the choice to become a call girl so that she could have financial independence and get out of her suffocating household. I read this book in under 3 hours on the plane from São Paulo to Johannesburg coming back from our last trip to Brasil. It's like a combination of someone's diary and a collection of letters to Penthouse - addictive, to say the least!

• Garrison Keillor's stories about Lake Wobegon. I'm not sure which particular collection of stories it was in, but my mom and I spent an entire summer at my grandmother's house in Italy nearly pissing ourselves reading a story about a crotchety cocker spaniel that reminded us in more ways than one of our sweet little Lady back home. I have Garrison Keillor on a series of burned CDs that my dad made for me, but haven't yet had a chance to listen to the narratives. Note to self: bring these to Mozambique...

• Any of Tony Hillerman's mystery novels. In addition to being well written, I appreciate his myseteries so much more because I am from New Mexico and my mom grew up part-time in Farmington, a small city in the middle of the Navajo reservation where most of Mr. Hillerman's stories take place. There is something about reading someone else's description of the things familiar to me and close to my heart that is such a delight.

3 great books I should have read but haven't yet:

• "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera. I know, I even did a play on the title in a previous post, but I haven't read this yet despite tons of my friends having recommended it.

• "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. Has been on my list for a while...

• "Paula" by Isabel Allende. My mom loves this book and I know I will too as I am a big fan of Ms. Allende's other works. However, I haven't mustered up the courage to order it, much less read it, because I know I will cry and cry for days.

Last 3 books I ordered:

• "Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town" by Paul Theroux. The review of this book by Cait, a peace corps volunteer serving in a village in South Africa, made me want to read it immediately.

• "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins. This should be a fun read, especially since Rico and I have become increasingly cynical about the work of development agencies and NGOs from the US and other Western countries.

• "A Complicated War: The Harrowing of Mozambique" by William Finnegan. Read this before moving to Mozambique to get a better understanding of the 16-year civil war that raged through the country up until 1992. It was a tough read, both content-wise and because of the sheer wealth of facts and figures (the author wrote for the NY Times) but a book I'm glad I put in the effort for nonetheless. Nothing worse than being ill-informed about one of the defining events in the history of the country you've adopted as your home.

I would like to tag Telfair and Alina, if they have the time or the interest.